1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a wide line ribbon package and more specifically to a high strength unitary package including special end pieces for thin film ribbon protection while maintaining uniform ribbon edge alignment.
2. Description of Prior Art
It is well known in the art to employ molded container positioners in a package, however they have been usually associated with box and can packages and maintained adjacent the top and bottom in a parallel relationship. They may include depressions and recesses extending into the package.
However, packaging wide line ribbon stock, particularly when made up of thin film, presents problems that are not encountered in the can or box packaging art. Such material is typically 14 or more inches wide, twenty or more yards long and consist of a backing medium, an undercoating and one or more additional chemicals.
The ribbon, in this example, film, is centered upon and tightly wound about a supply core keeping the side edges in uniform alignment. The core is subsequently removed leaving an opening in the core or axis of the roll. It is important for the edges of a wide line film ribbon to be maintained uniformly aligned while being protected from knicking or tearing. Uniform alignment is essential for preventing ribbon jamming as it is fed through a high speed mechanism. The ribbon must, therefore, be constrained from telescoping while in the package.
Because of the combination of the high speed at which a wide line film ribbon typically move and the thinness of that ribbon, any knick or tear at the film ribbon edge usually leads to a tear across the entire width thereby necessitating costly replacement.
From the foregoing, it is obvious that constant improvements are needed to ensure secure and aligned movement of the film ribbon as it is being processed and packaged, and it is to that end that the present invention is directed.